Pitter.



F. BETHKE.

PITTER.

APPLI CATION FILED JULY 28. I916- Patentedi Nov. 28, 1916.

FRED'IBETHKE, 0F VISALIA, CALIFORNIA.

PITI'ER.

moaese.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRED BETHKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Visalia', in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fitters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pitters which is more particularly designed for removing thepits from peaches or the like and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character for efiectively removing the pits from the fruit without distorting-or crushing the fruit in any manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a' device of this character having a pit ejecting member associated with the removing member whereby upon movement of the removing member, the pit will be ejected.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this character which contains the desirable features of simplicity, durability and eiiiciency, and furthermore a device which may be manufactured at a nominal cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is an end elevation; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my invention comprises a base 1 which is preferably rectangularin formation. and which is formed of any suitable material such as wood, metal or the like. Mounted upon the base adjacent one end thereof and upstanding from the same is a standard 2 which is of any suitable length and which is formed of any suitable material. Pivotally secured to the upper end of the standard 2 is one end of an operating lever 3,,

while pivotally secured to the lever between its ends is the removing member generally indicated as at 4. The removing member 4 in this instance comprises resilient arms 5 which have their upper ends pivotally secured to the lever 3 and are held in spaced relation by means of a spacing block 6, the

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1216.

- Application filed July 28, 1916. Serial No. 111,918.

latter being preferably, arranged adjacent the upper ends of the arms. The lower ends of the arms 5 are provided with enlargedv spoon shaped portions 7 the portions having their concaved sides arranged in confronting relation to each other as is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. One of the spoon shaped portions- 7 is provided upon its. vertical edges preferably at the medial portion thereof and at opposite points with horizontally disposed lugs or lips 8. The lips 8 are in this instance tapered toward their free ends andare curved inwardly toward each other and are adapted to be disposed upon the outer face ofthe remaining portion 7 so as to limit the spreading of the arms 5 as will be understood.

Mounted upon the base 1 at a point directly below the. removing member 4 and upstanding therefrom is a loosening member 9 which is in this instance a stud and it has the upper end enlarged and grooved as at 10, the groove extending longitudinally of the base and in alinement with the transverse width of the spoon portion 7.

Those portions of the arms 5 which are between the spacing block 6 and the spoon portion 7 are curved transversely in the 'form of arcsas at 11, to form a substantially circular guide way for the annular head 12 of the ejecting-member generally indicated as at 13. The ejecting member 13 in this instance comprises a horizontally disposed bar 14 which has one end thereof rigidly secured to the standard 2 while its opposite end is provided with a head 12 as previously stated, the head being looselymounted between the arms 5. The lower longitudinal edge of the bar 14 is provided with an arcuate shaped recess 15 at a point adjacent the head 12 so as to permit the maximum amount of movement of the removing member 4 as will be understood.

In operation, the fruit is placed upon the loosening member 9, it being understood that the loosening members are so shaped as to necessitate the operator holding the fruit upon the member. The operator then moves the lever 3 downwardly thereby causing the spoon portion 7 to pierce the fruit, the spoon portion spreading-and contacting with the pit of the fruit, whereupon owing to the inherent resiliency of the arms 5, the portions 7 will resiliently engage the opposite sides of the pit to permit the ready removal of the same. It will be noted that when forcing the arms 5 downwardly, the portions 7 upon engaging the fruit will cause a down- "ward movement of the fruit thereby causcausing the removing member i to move vertically out ofthe fruit, the portions 7 carrying the bit therebetween. The head 12 of the ejecting member 13 being disposed between the arms 5, upon upward movement of the removing member the head 12 will engage the pit between the portions 7 thereby causingthe' pit to be ejected from the removing member as will beunderstood.

It is thought from the foregoing taken in connection with the" accompanying drawings that the construction and operation of my device will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that minor changes in size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A pitter comprisinga base, a standard formed on the base, a lever pivotally connected to the standard, vertically disposed spaced resilient arms having their upper ends pivotally connected to the lever, the lower ends of the arms being provided with spoon shaped portions, and means carried by one of the portions for limiting the spreading of the portions.

2. A pitter comprising a base, a standard formed on the base, a lever pivotally connected to the standard, spaced resilient arms pivotally connected to the lever, means carried by one of the arms for limiting spreading of the arms, and a loosening member formed on the base and disposed in vertical alinement with the said arms.

3. A pitter comprising a base, an upright formed on the base,'a lever pivotally connected to the upright, spaced resilient arms pivoted to the lever, a loosening member formed on the base and arranged in vertical alinement with the said arms and an ejecting member carried by the upright and disposed between said arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRED BETHKE. 

